Gun barrel sequence
The James Bond gun barrel sequence is an iconic opening to every official James Bond film beginning with the first, Dr. No in 1962. The sequence is credited to Maurice Binder, a famous title designer who created the opening titles for 14 Bond films. The look of the sequence was achieved with a pin hole camera shooting through a real gun barrel. In the sequence, a series of white dots scroll across the screen from (the viewer's perspective) left to right. Upon reaching the extreme right of the screen, the dot changes to the view through the barrel of a gun. The gun barrel is seen from the assassin's perspective—looking down at a walking James Bond, who quickly turns and shoots; the scene reddens (signifying the spilling of the gunman's blood), the gun barrel dissolves to a circle, and the film begins. Evolution of the sequence The first person to portray the role of James Bond in the gun barrel sequence was not Sean Connery, but rather Bob Simmons, a stuntman who filled in for the role of agent 007 in the first three films (Dr. No, From Russia with Love, and Goldfinger). In 1965, when the series began to be shot in Panavision, a new version of the sequence was required. For this, the producers used Sean Connery for the first time. Since then, every actor to portray Bond has been filmed in the scene. In addition to Simmons, Sean Connery and George Lazenby were the only actors who would film the sequence while wearing a hat, while Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan would wear dinner jackets for their renditions. Daniel Craig worn a tieless dinner jacket for Casino Royale but a full-on suit for Quantum of Solace. Beginning with 1995's GoldenEye, the gun barrel was computer-generated. Die Another Day introduced a CGbulletzoomingfromBond's gun towards the viewer. This sequence is currently thought to be a one-time only special effect to commemorate the release of the 20th James Bond film as well as the 40th anniversary of James Bond on screen. In 2006's Casino Royale, the sequence is integrated into the film's narrative: after Bond fights Fisher, the henchmen grabs the gun; then it cuts to the gun's point of view as Bond shoots Fisher. Also, the rifling is the computer-generated rifling is polygonal rather than the traditional eight rifling grooves, and the blood comes down the screen quickly, not in a wave, but in rivulets. Afterwards, the opening credits begin. In Quantum of Solace and Skyfall, the gun barrel sequence appears in the ending but still performed by Daniel Craig. Images Dr. No - Gun Barrel with Bob Simmons.jpg|Bob Simmons in Dr. No. Die_Another_Day_-_Gunbarel_Sequence.jpg|Pierce Brosnan in Die Another Day. Casino Royale (9).png|Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. Trivia *The first time that the James Bond Theme was used with the sequence was in From Russia with Love. Dr No used the James Bond Theme as the film's main opening theme, after the gun barrel sequence. Dr No is also the only film to feature the scene at both the beginning and end (as a still shot). * Quantum of Solace and Skyfall are the only movies to only feature the sequence in the film's conclusion. Quantum is also the only to have Bond visibly walking after shooting. * Casino Royale is the only movie to incorporate the sequence into the film's narrative, to have the sequence begin with Bond standing stationary (although he was walking toward the door before turning), not shot against a blank white void (instead the bathroom wall behind Bond is seen) and it includes the person whom Bond shoots. *From Dr.No to Diamonds Are Forever, the sequence featured Bond wearing a hat. This was dropped after the films adopted a new aspect ratio for Live and Let Die. *Roger Moore and Daniel Craig are the only Bonds to film the sequence more than once. Moore did his twice - originally for Live and Let Die, and again when the aspect ratio changed for The Spy Who Loved Me. Daniel Craig did his thrice, first the Casino Royale one, which integrates with the plot; and two traditional versions for either of the sucessors. * George Lazenby is the only Bond who completely kneels down to shoot the gunbarrel. He also walks when the gunbarrel stops, giving a treadmill-like effect. * During the opening of both Dr. No and On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the white dot stops roughly in the middle of the screen and the line "Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli Present," appears surrounding the dot. The text then wipes away and the dot continues on with the rest of the sequence. *Only Dr. No and Casino Royale don't feature the James Bond Theme during the sequence - the former has the theme start after Bond fires, and the latter goes into "You Know My Name" instead. External links * Fastrac's James Bond Page - "The Gunbarrels" Category:Film production